welcome! jeremy freese is a professor in sociology at northwestern university. he finds blogging to be a good diversion from insomnia and a far better use of time than television.

Wednesday, December 10, 2003

what to do when you have a story to write and no idea who you just interviewed: a primer

Based on this quote from a story on ESPN.com about allegations surrounding a basketball player at the University of Missouri: "Meanwhile, Clemons has stopped going to class at Missouri, according to sources and his present whereabouts are unknown to Missouri. Missouri also isn't sure how he was paying for his living expenses while in Columbia. The sense on campus is that Clemons was returning to his native North Carolina."

1. Attribute what the person said to "sources."
2. Attribute what the person said to an organizational and/or geographical entity, i.e., "Missouri."
3. Attribute what the person said to "The sense on [some general area germane to the story]."